24 May 2013

Carrefour - Holy Cow!!

For any non-native English speakers reading this, let me first explain that 'holy cow!' is an expression generally used to convey surprise. In this case though, shock would be more appropriate! I heard today that the long-anticipated opening of Carrefour, Salalah finally took place. What shocked me though was not that it finally opened, but rather that they chose to display a live baby cow in a small cage - at the meat counter! Is this some kind of sick joke?! What on earth were they thinking? Animals should not be used for our entertainment, and I can not think of a more inappropriate and cruel environment for a young calf to be in! Not only locked in a small cage, but in the glare of supermarket lights, crowded with people who no doubt found it amusing to taunt and tease it. The poor animal must have been terrified. This is a very bad start for Carrefour. As a global retailer they really should know better. Perhaps some marketing genius thought this would be a great way to demonstrate the freshness of their butchery products? I personally find it incredibly distasteful and it sends out all the wrong messages. If you agree I suggest you write to the manager (Khalid al Khatouri) and express your disapproval.Has anyone been to Carrefour today? Is the animal still there? If anyone can shed any light on this bizarre situation I would be very interested to hear from you. I would also be interested to know what Carrefour has on their fish counter? I have written previously about my concerns over Lulu's sale of sharks. I sincerely hope we will not see shark for sale at Carrefour! Finally, how's the plastic bag situation?! Dare I be optimistic enough to visualise eco-carriers (as their 'act green' website suggests)? Carrefour, as a new player in Salalah, has the opportunity to set an example and lead the way in promoting more sustainable, responsible ways of shopping. I really hope they take the opportunity that Lulu so clearly missed and don't just fall into the same old lazy ways of all the other retailers in Salalah. Now that there is more choice consumers can vote with their feet. I hope we will see positive change as a result!

4 comments:

Lodge a complaint with Carrefour head office in France and still nobody will give a care in the world.

Stick it on an animal rights website in the UK or France via Facebook and you might have more luck.

I always find it funny how people who are meat eaters can quite happily trundle through a supermarket and pack up all the meat that they can find into a trolley and cart it out the door. Then watch the same folks having a meltdown due to seeing the same produce making a "live" appearance in the same shop.

I am not saying that you are the above. I'm just making an observation. A few years ago, I attended an outdoor skills courses with two Canadian guys who were whooping and high-fiving about the steaks they had the night before and then watched them go to pieces when asked to slaughter the evening's dinner.

LuLu's has been selling baby sharks for years !I had photographed them on sale in Sohar back in 2006 and put it up on the net. Within a week the sharks were not 'visibly' for sale, but I think you could still ASK for them.

Not sure of Oman's policy on selling baby sharks, since they are not endangered...I don't think it is illegal. Just offensive. The Chinese buy the fins..thus the big shark fishing that goes on in Sur and Salalah.

Calf in a cage. Since when is Oman nice to animals other than camels and maybe donkeys.

They have a long way to go in terms of animal rights. Let's start with human rights first.

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About Me

Dhofar Eco Bug aims to help conserve the natural beauty and biodiversity of the Sultanate (and Dhofar in particular) through increased awareness of, and action on, environmental issues in the region. This 'bug' hopes to be highly contagious - infecting the nation with an environmental conscience!